Promoted by the I.S.E.O. Foundation and the University of Brescia with the co-financing and sponsorship of the Brescia Chamber of Commerce, the Futura Colloquia - linked to the broader project “FUTURA Economics for the Environment” - were created with the aim of offering a space for in-depth discussion on the major issues of the global economy and beyond, proposing topics that - although international in scope - also closely involve the economic and business fabric of the province of Brescia.
The current global (dis)balances, the recent trade wars fought to the tune of duties and tariffs, the new challenges of the space economy and, again, financial security in the midst of demographic winter are just some of the topics that will be addressed by top experts in the field.
Prominent among the speakers is Robert Merton, 1997 Nobel Laureate in Economics and in June 2025 visiting professor at the University of Brescia: Merton, among the leading experts in international finance, will speak on “Longevity Finance: pensions and financial security.” After the Nobel laureate, Mario Del Pero, professor of International History at Sciences Po University and Senior Associate Research Fellow at Ispi, will take the stage: his talk, of very topical geopolitical relevance, is entitled “(Dis)global balances.” It will then be Daniel Gros's turn - former economist at the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission, now director of the Institute for European Policies at Bocconi University - to frame the current economic scenario: in fact, Gros will dissect the hot topic of “Duties & co: trade wars in the Trump era.” Finally, Simonetta Di Pippo, an astrophysicist, former director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (Unoosa) and now leading the Space Economy Evolution Lab (See Lab) at Bocconi University, will delve into the far-from-marginal topic of the space economy while also trying to outline the role the EU is playing in this priority sector.
Meetings with experts will be promoted in the form of interviews: Merton will be interviewed by Carlo Benetti (Market specialist Gam Italia), Del Pero by Carlo Muzzi (Giornale di Brescia), Gros by Massimiliano Del Barba (Corriere della Sera) and Di Pippo by Paola Buizza (Bresciaoggi).
The initiative is open to all interested members of the public, with reservations required at www.istiseo.org.
A simultaneous translation service from English to Italian will be available during the foreign language speeches.